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Tour description

12 DAYS ANDALUCIA SMALL GROUP TOUR

Experience the Andalucian lifestyle with a small group of 12 participants only! We are excited to introduce a wonderful journey to discover Southern Spain travelling from Madrid to the intriguing Andalucia. From soulful flamenco and daring architectures, to delicious food and avant-garde cities, Spain could be Europe’s most exotic country. Wherever you venture you’ll discover a beguiling land with a mix of stirring and often curious traditions, live-for-the-moment hedonism and a willingness to embrace the future with a relentlessly adventurous spirit.

From Gaudi and El Greco to tapas and flamenco, this tour captures the energetic diversity of Spain.

Travel to Spain with its idyllic climate, dramatic vistas, rolling hills and mountains, lively markets, hearty cuisine, glorious art and architecture that embodies all things Spanish. From the warm hospitality of its people to the gorgeous beaches and balmy waters of the Andalucia to the medieval art cities.

Spain is a country of rugged landscapes, sophisticated cities, rural backwaters and sharply contrasting traditions. An extravagant scenic beauty, a multicultural crossroads with a rich history, an exuberant and richly layered culture and a traditions of food and wine that is celebrated the world over..all converge here in sunny and colorful Andalucia.

This is a land of surprises and we are excited to discover together the soul of Andalucia!

In recent years Madrid has transformed itself into Spain’s premier style center and its calling cards are many; astonishing art galleries, an exceptional live music scene, a feast of fine restaurants and tapas bars, and a population that’s mastered the art of the good life.Madrid is a city to savor, taste, smell and enjoy by simply exploring the streets, plazas and parks. Today’s morning tour begins in Barrio de Las Letras, the home of renowned authors from Spain’s Golden Age such as Cervantes and Lope de Vega. Continue to Plaza Mayor and Plaza de la Villa, which was once the medieval marketplace. Finish in Hapsburg Madrid which dates to the 16th century when Felipe II moved the Court to Madrid, making it the Capital of the vast Spanish Empire. Following a street food of local jamon iberico and local beer (cerveza) at Mercado San Miguel, one of Madrid’s oldest and largest markets, we drive to elegant TOLEDO for our two nights stay in the central hotel “EUGENIA DE MONTIJO” or similar, close to the city’s architecturally treasures. At 7.30 pm meet your local tour manager for a welcome drink and dinner in a local tavern.Overnight in TOLEDO

Day 2: TOLEDO-THE CITY OF THREE CULTURES

Breakfast in hotel. Today’s visit takes you to discover one of Spain’s most impressive and beautiful cities,Toledo picturesquely sited on a hill above the River Tagus. Behind the old walls lies much evidence of the city’s rich history. The Romans built a fortress on the site of the present-day Alcazar. In the Middle Ages, Toledo was a melting pot of Christians, Muslim and Jewish cultures, and it was during this period that the city’s most outstanding monument, its cathedral, was built. In the 16th century the painter El Greco came to live in Toledo, and today the city is home to many of his works. You’ll visit Toledo’s great cathedral, seat of the Spanish church, with its collection of great paintings in the sacristy, the Church of Santo Tome’, which houses El Greco’s masterpiece painted exclusively for this chapel, the Synagogue of Santa Maria La Blanca, an example of the mark made by the Sephardic Jews and one of the few historic synagogues in Spain.We’ll also visit a bakery which specializes in marzipan for a local street food experience. Rest of the day is on your own for more cultural experiences. Overnight stay in TOLEDO

Day 3: CONSUEGRA-ON THE TRAIL OF DON QUIXOTE & MAGICAL CORDOBA

After breakfast, we depart Toledo and journey through the Castilla-La Mancha’s landscape, neatly striped and spotted with olive groves, and golden wheat fields and grapevines, all stretching to a horizon you never seem to reach. This is Don Quixote country, a storybook Spain, a land of hearty meals, cheese and wine, lonely hilltop castles and towns stocked with churches. On our way to Cordoba, we’ll first enjoy a panoramic view of Toledo’s outskirts with wonderful view of the city followed by a visit to CONSUEGRA, a land that inspired the novel of Don Quixote with the windswept plains and giant stone windmills that Don thought were giants that he must fight. You’ll have a walk in the 12th century hilltop castle and into one of the massive wind powered molinos, used for centuries to grind grain. The day continues with a visit to a local winery to enjoy delicious wines with some local tastings and a street food experience with jamon iberico and spanish cervesa in VALDEPENAS,the capital of La Mancha’s vast wine region.Late afternoon, you’ll arrive in CORDOBA, our home for the next two nights at the 17th century central hotel “LAS CASAS DE LA JUDERIA“or similar. Dinner is on your own this evening. Overnight stay in CORDOBA

Day 4: ROMAN & MOORISH CORDOBA

This morning our expert guide will introduce you to the history of a city which was the capital of the Baética Roman province and magnificent metropolis of the Umayyad Caliphate a thousand years ago.We will walk through the Jewish Quarter and visit the tiny Synagogue, the oldest one in Spain. Wrought ironwork decorates narrow cobbled streets, where silversmiths create fine jewelry in their workshops. You’ll continue to visit Cordoba’s Great Mosque,the MEZQUITA dating back 12 centuries, embodied the power of Islam on the Iberian peninsula.During the 16th century a cathedral was built in the heart of the reconsecrated mosque, part of which was destroyed. The rest of the day is on your own for more explorations of this beautiful town.Dinner is included this evening in a local tavern.Overnight stay in CORDOBA

Day 5: OLIVE OIL MILL,PICTURE POSTCARD ZUHEROS & BEWITCHING GRANADA

Breakfast in hotel.Today we head into the heart of Andalusia’s olive producing region where we’ll enjoy some olive oil tasting right from the source in a Spanish hacienda. Following this,we continue to picture-postcard hill town of ZUHEROS, in the heart of the untouched Sierras Subbeticas. Backed by dramatic limestone cliffs and the Bailon gorge, it has a Moorish Castle, great views and whitewashed streets. Lunch is included in a family Andalucian hacienda located in the stunning countryside to sample some excellent local goat’s cheese and appetizers. Continue to GRANADA where you’ll spend the next two nights at the charming “HOTEL PALACIO DE LOS NAVAS” or similar. This evening join your local tour director for an orientation tour followed by dinner on your own.Overnight stay in GRANADA

Day 6: CHRISTIAN GRANADA: ALHAMBRA PALACES & GARDENS

This morning a short ride will transport to the mighty ALHAMBRA, one of Granada’s greatest sights, sprawling over a hilltop overlooking the city. A magical use of space, light, water and decoration characterizes this most sensual piece of architecture. Its construction began during the 13th century and continued over centuries, resulting in a mix of surfaces and styles. After some time on your own for lunch, you’ll have time to discover the enchanting historical quartersof the Albayzin and the Sacromonte. From the top of the hill, you can gaze at the stunning views of a city built between a fertile plain and the snowy peaks of Sierra Nevada. The rest of the day is at leisure to explore Granada at your own pace, maybe touring the Generalife, the summer palace and gardens of the sultans or visiting an ancient Arabic bath. This evening dinner is included in a local restaurant boasting great views of the ALHAMBRA PALACE. Overnight stay in GRANADA

Day 7: PREHISTORIC CAVES, NERJA & MAJESTIC RONDA

Today we journey south from Granada to the historical city of Ronda, stopping along the way for an included tour of the CUEVAS DENERJA, a series of vast caverns which were discovered in 1959. Wall paintings found here are believed to be about 20,000 years old. Only a few of the many cathedral-sized chambers are open to public view. One of these has been converted into an impressive auditorium which has a capacity of several hundred people. Continue to the charming fishing town of NERJA, built on a cliff above sandy coves,lying at the foot of the beautiful Sierra de Almijara. After lunch on your own in the heart of Nerja, we’ll continue to RONDA for your next two nights at the “PARADOR DE RONDA” or similar.Dinner is on your own. Overnight stay in RONDA

Day 8: MY TIME IN ROMANTIC RONDA

Because of its impregnable position on a massive rocky outcrop, straddling a precipitous limestone cleft RONDA was one of the last Moorish bastions, finally falling to the Christians in 1485.The town claims one of Spain’s greatest bullfighting legacies enshrined in the tale of two pugnacious local families – the hard-bitten Romero and Ordonez clans. During your time in Ronda, you will be shown the city where remains of prehistoric settlements dating back to the Neolithic Age still exist and view the spectacular sight of Puente Nuevo (The New bridge), the tallest of the three bridges in Ronda,120 meters above the canyon floor. After visiting Spain’s oldest Bullring you will have the rest of the day on your own for more discoveries maybe visiting the archaeological museum or the stunning Arab baths. Tapas dinner is included this evening. Overnight stay in RONDA

This morning we will visit the bewitching whitewashed villages and towns of inland Andalusia. Instead of settling on Andalusia’s plains, where they would have fallen prey to bandits, some Andalusian chose to live in fortified hilltop towns and villages. These are known as pueblos blancos (white towns) because they are whitewashed in the Moorish tradition.We will visit first the tiny SETENIL DE LAS BODEGAS, hidden in a gorge of a river, where the houses-caves have rocky, mineral walls and the white town of ZAHARA DE LA SIERRA fanning out below a castle ruin declared a national monument. After some time on your own to enjoy the stunning views over the Andalusia countryside, you’ll experience a home-hosted lunch in a family tavern located in the charming main square of the village. Spend the last three nights at the central boutique hotel “CASAS DE EL ARENAL” in beautiful SEVILLA. Tonight, attend a performance of FLAMENCO before dinner on your own. Overnight stay in SEVILLA

Day 10: GRANDIOSE SEVILLA, PAELLA AND SANGRIA LESSON

Sevilla is the capital and largest city of Andalucia. Shaped by a half dozen civilizations and reborn in numerous incarnations since its founding over 2000 years ago, Sevilla has never lost its capacity to amaze. Drenched for most of the year in spirit-enriching sunlight, this is a city of feelings as much as sights with different seasons prompting vastly contrasting moods; solemn for semana santa, flirtatious for the spring fiesta, and soporific for the gasping heat of summer. The fourth largest city in Spain, Sevilla is also renowned as the birthplace of flamenco and Don Juan.A morning guided tour will reveal the city’s highlights, including the medieval Barrio de Santa Cruz “Juderia” (the Jewish Quarter) a tangle of atmospheric, winding streets and lovely plant-decked plazas perfumed with orange blossom. Among its most characteristic plazas is “Plaza de Santa Cruz”, which gives the barrio (district) its name. Along the way, we visit the pretty Plaza de Espana, set amidst the beautiful gardens of Maria Luisa Park and the famous bridges spanning the Guadalquivir River linking the gypsy quarter of Triana with the old heart of the city. The main architectural highlight is the mighty Gothic Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site. After an included PAELLA LESSON WITH SANGRIA EXPERIENCE, you’ll have time on your own to visit the sublime and romantic Real Alcazar, official Sevilla residence of Spanish royalty. Enjoy dinner on your own. Overnight in SEVILLA

Day 11: SHERRY COUNTRY, EQUESTRIAN SHOW IN JEREZ

The rolling landscape between Jerez de La Frontera and the Atlantic, known as the Sherry Triangle is ideally suited to raising the grapes that the wineries of Jerez convert into extraordinary sherries and brandies. You’ll tour today a local sherry winery in the noble city of JEREZ, followed by a visit to its equestrian school which we visit as well. Spend the afternoon on your own. This evening we’ll meet up again at the hotel for a scenic RIVER CRUISE on the Guadalquivir river where to toast travel memories and new friends followed by our final dinner together. Overnight stay in SEVILLE.